A study in the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health found intracranial injuries were the third-leading cause of death among fatally injured U.S. farmers (16.1%), while research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reported that head, face, and neck injuries make up 16% of agricultural workers’ compensation claims.

When most people picture a farm, they imagine open fields and fresh air. However, farming is one of the most dangerous workplaces in America. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 in 10 farmers will overturn a tractor in his or her lifetime,” said Senator Chuck Grassley (IO), member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, in 2024.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first proclamation to acknowledge the 3^rd week of September as National Farm Safety and Health Week. Every president since has renewed it. Since 1997, the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), partnered with the AgriSafe Network, has led the efforts to provide critical health, rescue training, and safety education during this week.

This year’s week, September 21–25, 2026, carries the theme “Safety Today, Success Tomorrow.”